Hi, I am Belinda Fettke.
I am a wife and mother of 3 grown children.
I was a registered nurse in a past life.
After 13 years as a stay at home Mum, I ventured back into the workforce as the PR Marketing photographer for Scotch Oakburn College for 8½ years. This involved covering every aspect of school life, in which I immersed myself and loved that I could capture kids being kids in a state of the art educational facility. I could celebrate their achievements, their friendships and their growth to mature young adults. It was a very precious time and I learned so much about photography and ventured into Social Media.
I began my own photography business BPhotography over 7 years now.
I consider myself a storyteller and am drawn to passionate, creative people … hence my bi-line “the Art of Storytelling”. I want to capture memories and share stories through the visual medium of photography. I especially love photographing people and consider myself lucky to do something I love as ‘work’.
I find inspiration in the simple things around me, in love, in family and in amazing literature. To convey an emotion and feel something real from an image or written words is incredible to me.
I look for light to see where it falls and the shadows it creates. I find textures intriguing.
I love to laugh and I sing whenever I feel like singing. I sing to my steering wheel regularly on long drives – it makes me happy!
I am humbled by the wonderful people I have met through my work, my photography, my association with the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) and allied resources. Humbled that I have permission to capture the deep essence of true emotions and precious moments in time. Often these moments can’t be repeated. I am honoured to capture people’s stories and thankful that I can share them.
While I specialize in wedding photography, family and children’s portraiture I also photograph pregnancies, newborns and pets. I am happy to go to special places for my client portraiture, somewhere that has true meaning for them.
I take time to perfect my craft, to know what I love and to be inspired and inspire others.
I am proud of the work I produce.
I am an Artisan.
Love, Marriage and the Red Feather Inn _ BPhotography
I was honoured to not only photograph a wedding last Friday, but I also got to sign Joanne and Bruce’s Marriage Certificate.
The couple from Western Australia contacted me a few months ago and told me of their plan to elope in Tasmania.It all sounded romantic and beautiful and I couldn’t wait to meet them and capture their story to share with their family when they got back home.
Joanne was wearing a full length wedding gown with short cropped jacket and a beaded clip in her hair which had been done at Bladerunner Prospect. Her flowers were stunning.
I love photographing small intimate weddings and this one was very special. A vow of love and a pledge to keep each other safe. Joanne and Bruce thanked each other in their vows; for helping each of them learn to smile again and I know that Dee Potter, as celebrant, Lydia Nettlefold, as owner of the Red Feather Inn and I all felt their deep commitment witnessing their betrothal in the gardens of the Inn at Hadspen, Tasmania and basked in the wonderful autumn afternoon light as they sipped champagne and had photos taken.
Instagram Inspiration Abounds @ bellaeffphotos BPhotography
Recently I have been spending some time on Instagram.
Looking for photography inspiration, I have found the most incredible community on this forum. Of course, like any Social Media Platform there is a lot of ‘noise’, but there are a few gems and I am hooked!! It has taken a while to build up a ‘following’, but many of my images have been featured on some amazing hubs around the Instagram community in the past couple of months and my presence is gaining momentum.
The Instagram community is full of incredible photographers and wonderful artisans, but one man has stood out to me on so many levels; a passionate street photographer, with the most amazing ability to tell stories from a single capture. Mustafa @mustafaseven – amazing!! Recently he became the project manager for a Turkey Tourism Marketing Campaign. The whole concept of @comeseeturkey is exquisite. The 20 photographers who have contributed to the project are so talented, but the star has to be @mustafaseven for bringing them together and making it all work!! Congratulations on a brilliant concept and for such awesome artistry. I am in awe … Please take some time to visit their page and be inspired as I was.
I have decided to share some of the images I have uploaded and will feature some of my favourites from the week each Friday on Facebook.
If you would like to follow me on Instagram, my gallery name is bellaeffphotos
Collaboration Photoshoot with Little White Boutique in Launceston _ BPhotography
A few weeks ago now I had the pleasure to work on a collaboration photoshoot with Little White Boutique in Launceston. http://littlewhiteboutique.com.au/
Robyn Greenwood supplied the most exquisite bridal gowns from Anna Campbell Designs, Love Found True, Watters, Rachel Gilbert and Allure Bridal with lingerie from Gooseberry Intimates and accessories by Anna Campbell and Samantha Wills. These amazing gowns are unique and affordable.
Brianna Schipper, professional makeup artist http://www.briannaschipper.com/ is inspirational to watch. I have worked with her many times at weddings we are both involved in and I couldn’t recommend her highly enough. She makes all her clients feel comfortable and look the way they dreamed of, whether that is one of the models we used in our collaboration or a bride on her wedding day. She is truly an artist and the models looked incredible.
Hairdressers – Arianne from the Bladerunner, Prospect salon https://www.facebook.com/BladeRunnerProspect and Jess Manning https://www.facebook.com/jess.manning.336 created stunning looks for the models with bohemian, current and trending hairstyles.
A huge thank you to our models Tanisha Koops, Phoebe Purser, Sophie Jones, Brogan Howie-Wootton and Megan Quillam. You were all professional and so much fun to work with xxx
Thank you also to Robyn’s husband for helping move all the dresses and assistance with the props and pack up. To my amazing husband Gary, for helping to build sets and props and for having all those women in your kitchen/lounge all day and lastly, but not least; thank you to my dear sister Bron Matthews for always being in the right spot, carting heavy chairs and my camera equipment around and having reflectors and cards at the ready and most importantly, for your amazing support over the entire day. We were both physically exhausted that night, but so happy with the images .
Every Tasmanian ‘bride to be’ should visit Little White Boutique and take a look at the huge range of dresses and accessories Robyn has in store. You won’t be disappointed!
Sunshine, Love & Laughter for Lindel & Tom’s Quamby Estate Wedding _ BPhotography
The rain stopped, the sun came out and the cold winds disappeared in time for Lindel and Tom to say “I Do” under the watchful eye of their 6 year old son, Wilbur at Quamby Estate recently.
Lindel, Kate and Maria had their hair and makeup done by the gorgeous girls from Mint, Relax, Revive at a friends’ house, while the Tom and his two best friends; Caren and Joel got ready at their newly renovated home. Lindel’s dress was bought at Little White Wedding Boutique in Launceston and looked absolutely stunning. The bridesmaids wore black dresses with lace applique and the two page boys (Lindel & Tom’s son Wilbur and Maria’s son Oscar) were in neutral tones with black denim jeans and off white shirts, tan vests and black vans on their feet with straw hats to complete the look.
Emily Titmus, from Appleblossomweddings provided bouquets, corsages and buttonholes and the most wonderful floral arrangement, including gum leaves which she tied to the tree under which Lindel and Tom got married in the gardens at Quamby Estate.
Close family friend, Stephen Potter gave Lindel away after waltzing her down the aisle. Barb Youd was once again conducting the service as the Marriage Celebrant and became a guest like Bron and I which was a lovely treat for us all!
Congratulations Lindel and Tom. Such a wonderful happy wedding! Loved every minute sharing and capturing your day with you xx
Tasmanian Wedding Showcases Local Produce
Anna and Marc, a young couple from Sydney, were determined to showcase Tasmanian produce when they invited 90% of their guests to their wedding from interstate and overseas. Having grown up on the family farm at Kingston, Northern Tasmania, Anna wanted to share her family’s history and the amazing food and wines from this region.
The girls had their hair and makeup done at Fringe Benefits, Launceston under the expert guidance of Emma Chellis, Yulanda Cameron and Krista McCrimmon from Something Beautiful, who worked their magic and the girls looked stunning! While Anna and her bridesmaids were busy, the guys went to Elaia Cafe in Charles Street to have lunch and I caught up with them for a short time before meeting the girls at ‘Grandma’s House’ in Evandale where they were getting dressed. Such a beautiful setting in the main street of Evandale. My dear sister Bron came with me to photograph the girls and we had fun hanging the dress in an archway and styling detail shots before capturing all the excitement of Anna dressing. WoW! Such a beautiful, elegant bride and bridal party. Anna’s Dad wore a top hat and tails to drive his daughter to the wedding in a converted Mercedes Ute! Such fun.
The wedding was held at Josef Chromy Wines and the rain held off till just after the group photograph was taken. The celebrant, Barb Youd kept the ceremony on time and, as always, made the the service personal to Anna and Marc.
There was a cheer of “Mazel Tov” when Marc stomped on the glass at the end of their vows. The celebrations had begun!We took shelter from blustering winds and heavy rain in the wine making shed for the bridal party photos, then joined the guests for dinner, speeches and dancing.
I have to thank Jon Jarvela for helping me with this wedding. He is an award winning photographer in Hobart and a colleague of mine within the AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography). Anna and Marc were to have a 2 day wedding and I wasn’t able to photograph their picnic day on the Saturday so Jon kindly met the boys when they were getting ready and went with them to the service. He photographed guests milling afterwards and captured all the details and excitement of the picnic day at Kingston Farm. The mix of photos between Bron, Jon and myself make for the most beautiful coverage of Anna and Marc’s story. So very special.
We Love You Already … A Cherished Pregnancy Photoshoot _ BPhotography
I have known Anna since she was in the Junior School at Scotch Oakburn College and photographed her as she grew into a beautiful young woman at school. I was honoured to be asked to photograph her wedding to Damon Thomas a few years ago and have loved sharing the wonderful journey they have continued on through my photography.
When Anna told me of her news becoming pregnant we knew it would heave to be a special shoot to tie in all the elements we created at their wedding. Anna and Damon had handmade little signs for the couple photoshoot on the beach at Freycinet on the Tasmanian East Coast before their reception “I am with him” “I am with her” and we loved the images produced! So with that in mind I suggested that they make a tiny “We Love You Already” and I adored their interpretation of my idea.
They also brought along a special book ‘The Arrival’ by Shaun Tan and we used it creatively amongst the plants. The beautiful setting we chose made for the most incredible backdrop with perfect lighting. Can’t wait to photograph their new baby in the same setting. Already a hundred ideas are filling our minds!
Congratulations Anna and Damon. I can’t wait to hear the news of the Birth of your first child and be there to capture the next stage of your lives as young parents. xxx
A Very Special Bond Exists Between a Mother and Son _ BPhotography
There is always a very special bond between a mother and son, but there was something about Cristiane and Riley’s relationship that had that ‘little extra’ attached. The way he looked at her, the moments they shared without words and the gentlest touch. I loved capturing them early on a Sunday morning as the sun started to warm the world around us. Such a cold start, but well worth it for the beautiful ‘ photography’ light and it is often the best time for young kids before they get tired later on in the day.
I smiled as soon as I saw the pair of them waiting for me near the Monkeys at the Launceston City Park. Both in their bright red outfits complimenting their gorgeous complexions, huge smiles to greet me. Riley had a minute of shyness which disappeared quickly and he was just so much fun to photograph.
Thank you for asking me Cristiane. I loved photographing you and your gorgeous son, Riley xx
Extended family photoshoots are always fun, especially at the beach _ BPhotography
Thanks to Priscilla and her wonderful extended family for inviting me to spend the late afternoon/evening with them recently up at Shearwater Beach opposite Hawley House where Priscilla and Jamie had been married 2 years ago. Lots of memories filled us all. It was so special to return there to do another photo session; this time the growing families were the focus. Being at the beach allowed the children to expend a lot of energy and the gorgeous sounds of fun and laughter were carried along the waves they jumped over. In this instance images speak much louder than words xx
A photoshoot at Bridport continues the story for this young family _ BPhotography
Isla had her newborn photoshoot in the Launceston General Hospital Maternity Suite on the 26th November 2013, before she took her first breath. Guess it is only fitting that she gets to know me early on! I have photographed her gorgeous sister Milla since she was a week old and captured many special moments in this young family’s history, already.
It was such a priviledge and an honour to photograph Isla’s birth. Witnessing her being lifted onto Brittany’s belly moments after entering this world and being drawn into the emotion and love in the room between Brittany and her husband James and the pride they shared seeing their daughter for the first time, really was a miracle. Nothing can prepare you, not even having 3 children of your own …
We wanted to capture some photos while Isla was still small with her sister Milla and see the little personality she is developing so when she was 3 months old, it seemed like a good time. I drove up to Bridport where Brittany’s parents live and we used their gorgeous garden. We propped up the large silver serving dish that Brittany and James’s wedding cake had sat on in the garden amongst the foliage and placed a sheepskin on top. Isla was so happy to lay there and smiled and talked to us throughout the shoot despite heavy rain falling from the heavens! Brittany’s Mum, Deb saved the day by sheltering us with their big canvas market umbrella and kept Isla dry. I got wet as I seem to do regularly, but at least it wasn’t cold.
We took some beautiful family photos and I must admit I am looking forward to our next scheduled shoot when both the girls are old enough for a fairy teaparty. … watch this space xx
Congratulations to Emma & Scott on their Wedding at Grindelwald, Tasmania_BPhotography
I was very excited when Emma and Scott asked me to photograph their wedding, having known them both for about 12 years. Emma is my daughter’s best friend from school and Scott was also in their year at school. He and Emma have been together since year 12 and photographing their wedding was like a beautiful school reunion where I knew most of their family and friends. Such a happy wedding at grindelwald in the rotunda by the lake with the reception at the resort there.
Photos were taken in and around Grindelwald and we captured some really fun bridal party ones of them all jumping on a huge inflated balloon and in the tower as the sun was setting, but I wanted something really special for Emma and Scott. Something different and romantic for their bridal photography …
Last year, when we were chatting about their plans to be married at Grindelwald, I had an idea to do the couple photographs in a nearby Apple Orchard. I had driven past the Montague Orchards on my way up to Grindelwald to meet them for the site inspection and noticed the apples were ripe in March and couldn’t think of a more romantic setting! After speaking to the manager about the possibility of photographing there, I organised to return two weeks before Emma & Scott’s nuptials to confirm the arrangements.
In the meantime I met Bek Burrows from Cherish by Bek; a wonderful woman with a creative mind like mine. The setting I wanted to create for Emma & Scott was going to take a bit of preparation and Bron, my assistant (and also my amazing sister) and I often push ourselves to try and do everything and with the time constraints I asked Bek if she could please style the exquisite row of apples The Hogan’s let us use for our shoot. I provided a brief to Bek asking for a couch, crates with apples, and a ‘string’ of apples between the rows. Her styling went above what I could imagine and was perfection. The flowers from Premier Roses, the vintage movie seats and creative placement with a little help from her husband Paul actually made Emma cry when she saw it …
The images are just so romantic and beautiful.